Shloka 22

Nāga-āyatana-darśana-pratīkṣā — The Brāhmaṇa’s Request and Waiting on the Gomatī

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मन! मेरे सभी पूर्वज धन्य थे, जिनका हित और कल्याण करनेके लिये साक्षात्‌ जनार्दन तैयार रहते थे ।।

Transliteration

Janamejaya uvāca |

Brahman! mama sarve pūrvajā dhanyā āsan, yeṣāṁ hita-kalyāṇārthaṁ sākṣāj Janārdano 'pi prastuto bhavati ||

Tapasā tu sudṛśyo hi bhagavān loka-pūjitaḥ |

Ye dṛṣṭavantaste sākṣāc chrīvatsāṅka-vibhūṣaṇam, loka-pūjitaṁ bhagavantaṁ Nārāyaṇam ||

Translation

阇那美阇耶说道：“婆罗门啊，我的一切先祖实为有福；为了他们的利益与真实的至善，阇那尔达那亲自常常准备施为。为世间所敬奉的主那罗延，通常唯有凭苦行方得瞻见；然而我的祖父辈却不费力便得以亲见那位为世所尊、胸饰室利伐蹉圣相的神。”

Word by Word

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अथ: then/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• सुदृश्यः: easily visible; well-seen
• सुदृश्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुदृश्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लोकपूजितः: worshipped by the world
• लोकपूजितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोकपूजित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दृष्टवन्तः: having seen
• दृष्टवन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• साक्षात्: directly; in person
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात्

• श्रीवत्साङ्कविभूषणम्: the one adorned with the Śrīvatsa mark
• श्रीवत्साङ्कविभूषणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीवत्साङ्कविभूषण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

जनमेजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Janamejaya
• Brahmin (addressed sage)
• Janārdana
• Nārāyaṇa
• Śrīvatsa (mark/emblem)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse contrasts human effort (tapas/austerity) with divine grace: while the Lord is typically attained through disciplined ascetic practice, exceptional merit and the Lord’s compassion can grant direct vision and protection even ‘without effort.’ It highlights the ethical ideal that the divine acts for the true welfare (hita-kalyāṇa) of devotees.

What is happening in the narrative?

King Janamejaya addresses a Brahmin sage, marveling at the fortune of his ancestors. He notes that Janārdana (Nārāyaṇa) was personally ready to secure their welfare, and that they received direct darśana of the Lord—distinguished by the Śrīvatsa mark—though such a vision is usually said to be attainable only through austerity.